Panzer Grenadier Battles on November 21st:
Desert Rats #16 - The Panzers Pull Back Desert Rats #19 - The Panzers Return
Desert Rats #17 - The Tomb Of Sidi Rezegh Jungle Fighting #7 - Line Of Departure
Desert Rats #18 - A Pibroch's Skirl South Africa's War #5 - Irish Eyes
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Spring of the Panther
Blackshirt Division #10
(Attacker) Italy vs United States (Defender)
Formations Involved
Italy 1ª Divisione Corazzata "Mussolino"
United States 1st "Old Ironsides" Armored Division
Display
Balance:



Overall balance chart for BlDi010
Total
Side 1 0
Draw 0
Side 2 2
Overall Rating, 1 vote
5
4
3
2
1
3
Scenario Rank: --- of 940
Parent Game Blackshirt Division
Historicity Alt-History
Date 1943-04-06
Start Time 06:00
Turn Count 40
Visibility Day
Counters 201
Net Morale 0
Net Initiative 1
Maps 4: 76, 77, 78, 79
Layout Dimensions 86 x 56 cm
34 x 22 in
Play Bounty 222
AAR Bounty 227
Total Plays 2
Total AARs 0
Battle Types
Inflict Enemy Casualties
Meeting Engagement
Conditions
Off-board Artillery
Randomly-drawn Aircraft
Scenario Requirements & Playability
An Army at Dawn Maps + Counters
Blackshirt Division Base Game
Introduction

In our time line in February 1943, Italy’s politically influential Fiat-Ansaldo combine obtained a production license for the new German Panzer V Panther tank from its manufacturer, MAN. The big, powerful tanks were rushed to the front lines to equip Mussolini’s favorite division, and as a result the Panther would see its first combat use under Italian colors while the Germans held back their own new vehicles for the Kursk offensive.

Conclusion

No Italian-made Panther tanks ever actually rolled off an assembly line: even MAN, the German factory, had enormous difficulties preparing the proper machine tools for the tank’s innovative hull. The Panther would have represented an enormous leap forward in Italian tank technology; the vehicle it was to replace on the assembly line, the M15/42, was already hopelessly obsolete and barely a match for the American-made Stuart light tank.

Additional Notes

Use logistics and supply optional rule for Italian forces


Display Relevant AFV Rules

AFV Rules Pertaining to this Scenario's Order of Battle
  • Vulnerable to results on the Assault Combat Chart (7.25, 7.63, ACC), and may be attacked by Anti-Tank fire (11.2, DFT). Anti-Tank fire only affects the individual unit fired upon (7.62, 11.0).
  • AFV's are activated by tank leaders (3.2, 3.3, 5.42, 6.8). They may also be activated as part of an initial activating stack, but if activated in this way would need a tank leader in order to carry out combat movement.
  • AFV's do not block Direct Fire (10.1).
  • Full-strength AFV's with "armor efficiency" may make two anti-tank (AT) fire attacks per turn (either in their action segment or during opportunity fire) if they have AT fire values of 0 or more (11.2).
  • Each unit with an AT fire value of 2 or more may fire at targets at a distance of between 100% and 150% of its printed AT range. It does so at half its AT fire value. (11.3)
  • Efficient and non-efficient AFV's may conduct two opportunity fires per turn if using direct fire (7.44, 7.64). Units with both Direct and AT Fire values may use either type of fire in the same turn as their opportunity fire, but not both (7.22, 13.0). Units which can take opportunity fire twice per turn do not have to target the same unit both times (13.0).
  • Demoralized AFV's are not required to flee from units that do not have AT fire values (14.3).
  • Place a Wreck marker when an AFV is eliminated in a bridge or town hex (16.3).
  • AFV's do not benefit from Entrenchments (16.42).
  • AFV's may Dig In (16.2).
  • Open-top AFV's: Immune to M, M1 and M2 results on Direct and Bombardment Fire Tables, but DO take step losses from X and #X results (7.25, 7.41, 7.61, BT, DFT). If a "2X" or "3X" result is rolled, at least one of the step losses must be taken by an open-top AFV if present.
  • Closed-top AFV's: Immune to M, M1 and M2 results on Direct and Bombardment Fire Tables. Do not take step losses from Direct or Bombardment Fire. If X or #X result on Fire Table, make M morale check instead (7.25, 7.41, 7.61, BT, DFT).
  • Closed-top AFV's: Provide the +1 modifier on the Assault Table when combined with infantry. (Modifier only applies to Germans in all scenarios; Soviet Guards in scenarios taking place after 1942; Polish, US and Commonwealth in scenarios taking place after 1943.) (ACC)
  • Tank: all are closed-top and provide the +1 Assault bonus, when applicable
  • Tank Destroyer: do not provide the +1 Assault bonus, even if closed-top (SB)
  • Self-Propelled Artillery: do not provide the +1 Assault bonus, even if closed-top (SB)
  • Anti-Aircraft Weapon Carrier: apply a -1 modifier to an air attack if within three hexes of the targeted hex (15.14).
  • Anti-Tank Gun Carrier: half-track with anti-tank gun, NOT a Tank Destroyer
  • APC – Armored Personnel Carrier: These are Combat Units, but stack like Transports. They can transport personnel units or towed units. They are not counted as combat units for the +1 stacking modifier on the Direct Fire and Bombardment Tables (4.4). They may be activated by regular leaders and tank leaders (1.2, 3.34, 4.3, 5.43). They do not provide the +1 Assault bonus (ACC).
  • Armored Cars: These are Combat Units. They are motorized instead of mechanized. All have their own armored car leaders, who can only activate armored cars (6.85). Do not provide the +1 Assault bonus (ACC).
  • Reconnaissance Vehicle: 8.23 Special Spotting Powers Both foot and vehicle mounted recce units (1.2) possess two special spotting abilities. The first ability is that they can spot enemy in limiting terrain at one hex further than the TEC specifies for other units and leaders. For example, an enemy unit in town can normally be spotted at three hexes or less, but a recce unit can spot them at four hexes.Their second ability is that they can place a Spotted marker on any one enemy unit they can spot per turn, just as if the enemy unit had "blown its cover" by firing. Such Spotted markers are removed as described earlier.
  • Prime Movers: Transports which only transport towed units and/or leaders (May not carry personnel units). May or may not be armored (armored models are open-top). All are mechanized. (SB)
  • Unarmored Weapon Carriers: These are unarmored halftracks (Bufla and Sk7/2) or fully-tracked vehicles (Karl siege mortar) with mounted weapons. All are mechanized, except the BM-13 (Katyusha rocket launcher mounted on a truck). They are weapon units, not AFV's, so they are never efficient and cannot be activated by tank leaders. (SB)

Display Order of Battle

Italy Order of Battle
Milizia Volontaria per la Sicurezza Nazionale
  • Motorized
Regio Esercito
  • Mechanized
  • Motorized
United States Order of Battle
Army
  • Motorized
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